VIDEO: Referees took away a victory from Anzhelika Terluyga in final of Paris Open 2016

Objava: 27.01.2016 | 00:12
Karate 1 – Premier League

Do we need Video Reviews for correcting mistakes or for making ones?

It’s hard to believe, but it really happened! The referees’ “mistake” happened after and not before watching the requested video review. As the final match of kumite female -55 kg category between Spain’s Cristina Ferrer Garcia and Ukraine’s Anzhelika Terluyga finished 2:3 in Anzhelika’s advance, the Spanish coach requested the video review for the action in last 2 seconds, as Spanish didn’t got the point (yuko). If you watch the video, you will see that there was no point by the Spanish, but however the referees decided to give her a point for a total mishit. As the final score was 3:3, the referees gave the win to Spain’s Cristina Ferrer Garcia by hantei.

It is a mystery were the referees in charge of reviewing a video aware that the same video is also being played at the big screen in front of thousands of spectators in the hall, so as on French TV that was broadcasting finals live? In the name of every karateka, we are asking are those referees going to face any sanctions for their decision?

Even though she knew there was no point for Spanish, Anzhelika Terluyga standed the situation still and showed a full respect to the referees and to her opponent by congratulating her, by which she showed her amazing sport and olympic spirit. On our way of entering Olympics, this is deffinitely something we don’t want to see in our sport, also agrees Denys Morozov, Anzhelika’s coach. Denys is demanding a public apology by WKF and rewarding his athlete with a gold she deserved.

If it doesn’t happen officially, it would be more significant and fair-play if Cristina would claim Anzhelika’s victory after reviewing the video and to show the will of exchanging the medals. This way we are inviting her to do so, and to give an example of fair play in karate that we are looking for on our way to the Olympics.